Rescuers drill toward vibrations

Posted: Friday, August 17, 2007

HUNTINGTON, Utah - Rescuers searching for six coal miners trapped for 10 days were drilling yet another hole into mine Thursday, this time aiming for a location where they had detected mysterious vibrations in the mountain.

Officials said Thursday that the latest of three holes previously drilled reached an intact chamber with potentially breathable air.

The drill holes can be used to pump air and send food down the mine, but the rescue effort is taking place underground, where miners have advanced to only 826 feet in nine days. They still have 1,200 feet to go to reach the area where the men were working.

Mine co-owner Bob Murray said it would take at least two days for the latest drill to reach its target, in an area where a seismic listening device detected a "noise" or vibration in 1.5-second increments and lasting for five minutes.